At present, many home appliances are available which can be remotely controlled by the user. For example, a television set can be turned on and off, a channel can be selected, a video cassette recorder controlled to play or record, etc. However, each manufacturer uses a different signal format to effect this control. Not only do different operations require different control signals, but the basic format, such as the bit timing, the number of bits per word, the width of the pulses, the modulating frequency, if any, applied to each pulse, the presence of, length of, and format of start, lead, or trailer pulses and the number of correct receptions of a particular command required to activate the appliance to carry out the selected operation varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. The basic format may also be different for different model numbers of the same manufacturer.
Many homes have appliances which can be remotely controlled, but which are manufactured by different manufacturers. Further, control of, for example, a video cassette recorder frequently requires the ability to control a related appliance, e.g. a television set, in conjunction therewith. At present, viewing a recorded program requires use of two individual remote control units, particularly if the recorder and the television set are not made by the same manufacturer.